


High Hopes Lots of Food (Ish)

by Goldstone_Wolf



Series: High Hopes Low (Blank) [37]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), High Hopes Low Rolls (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, But that's another story, Cooking, Fire, Food, Gen, Haha this one's fun, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, also me channeling some energy from what i thought about my crush, and apparently they like a guy named panda, ansgt, anyways story related notes only gold, but also love it all at once, flames, like lots of food i guess but not as much as i thought, me spelling things correctly for once, this is stupid and i hate it, tws for:, uh, yeah i've been pouting just a little bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26261938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldstone_Wolf/pseuds/Goldstone_Wolf
Summary: A story in several parts because it’s fall I don’t care what the calendar says and I’m bookmarking out a bunch of recipes I want to try so there.Anyways, “The Whitlaw family owns a bakery, and Paddy is working when a friend invites him to the party. He goes, and sees someone he doesn’t recognize—a mysterious-looking young man who looks like he belongs anywhere but a party. Paddy, being Paddy, immediately ends up being very gay for this boy.”
Relationships: No Important Ones Really, yet
Series: High Hopes Low (Blank) [37]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1692196
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	High Hopes Lots of Food (Ish)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BubbleDramatically](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubbleDramatically/gifts).



> Anyone else have a slight issue with the fact that we use “fall” more than “autumn”? Like…”Autumn” is such a pretty word? Why don’t we use it more? (Because Americans are stupid is why).   
> Anyways, there are a lot of food types listed in here. The main reason why is I want them somewhere so that I can write something. On top of that, there’s going to be a little…something showing up in the next eleven days. Call it a little challenge for myself, but this is going to be…fun. I won’t tell you what it is yet, but don’t worry. Or…you know, when you find out. But…ah, you’ll be getting at least three fics today. There’s a…tiny bit of a “backlog” from the time that I’ve been gone (long story, I’ll explain in about…twelve days or so. Don’t worry about it.)  
> Also, I apologise in advance for what I’m going to do, even though I’m sure some of you will enjoy this.

“Paddy, do you know where the apples are?”

Cara’s voice drifted out from the pantry, and Paddy paused briefly to think about it. “Third level on the left side!”

“Thank you!”

“No problem!” Still holding the side of the bowl, he glanced at her as she walked out with the bags in hand. “Just set them down on the counter, please.” He was in the middle of whisking warm water and cornstarch together, mentally measuring out how many he was going to need. “Okay, we’re going to need one for the inside and two for the ones we’re going to hollow out. So…” Counting up in his head, he murmured to himself for a second. “Three for the inside on each, six for the hollowed ones. Thank you.”

“Wow, that’s a lot. Think you can handle it, Pads?” Connor teased, and Paddy shot him a look as his brother strode by. Sticking out his tongue, Connor ducked to the side when Cara tried to trip him. “Hey! Batch of pumpkin cookies coming through! Do you want to do all this work from scratch when it drops?”

“We know they’ll be better if I do.” She shot back, and Paddy ducked to the side when Cara went for their brother, chasing him around just a little bit.

“Guys, please behave.” He grimaced and then glanced at the clock. Most of what they were making wasn’t too difficult, and wouldn’t take too long, but he was pretty worried about how Ronan and his mother would react when they came back to find Connor and Cara were messing around…again. Turning, he snapped, “Connor! Cara!” Both of them looked at him, and he said, “Connor, put those in the oven. Cara, get over here and help me with this. Please?”

Ducking their heads, the pair went off and did as he asked. Cara quickly began hollowing out some of the apples with a melon baller, cutting the tops of the ones they had set aside to make the inside. When Connor returned, he started dicing the first six. “You know, usually you would just be doing this on your own. Imagine that, Connor.” Cara teased, sending a look their brother’s way.

“Not the time, Cara. Please? I just want to get this done before Mom and Ronan get back.” She held her hands up, then went back to hollowing apples. “Also, normally this only makes four, not twelve.”

“Alright, alright.” Out in the dining area, the bell indicating someone had come in rang. “One minute, please! Connor, I need you to take this.” She ducked out and then started chatting amicably with whoever it was. “Paddy, it’s your friend Mina! Come talk to her!”

“Alright, one second!” Wiping his hands off, Paddy looked at Connor and said, “When you’re done, set up a small saucepan over there. The diced apples, lemon, cinnamon, and sugar go in there. Simmer it for, like, five minutes.”

Laughing, Connor nudged him away, saying, “Okay, okay, go hang out with your friends. We’ll be fine in here, Paddy.”

Sighing, Paddy wandered out after washing his hands (just in case, apples and sugar tended to get pretty sticky and they were already having to deal with caramel) and grinned at Mina as soon as he saw her. Cara ducked back into the kitchen and immediately started yelling at Connor about how he shouldn’t have been adding the cornstarch mix so early. “Hey, Mina. How’s your day going?” He asked, leaning on the counter for a minute. “Want anything?”

“It’s pretty good, and I’ll take one of the pumpkin bars.”

“They’re gluten free.” He warned, handing it over, and she smiled at him before handing over her card. Swiping it, he handed it back and then took a breath, glancing at the clock. “So, what brings you here? I’m sure it’s not just a random visit.”

“Partly it is.” He tilted his head and arched an eyebrow, and she ducked her head. “Okay. So I’m hosting a party, and—”

“Do you want me to grab you an order form?” He asked, and she shook her head. “No?”

“No, I’m inviting you to the party, you pale potato.” He glanced down at his hand, and she rolled her eyes. “Look, some friends and I are hanging out and I thought you might want to come. As _Paddy_ , not as a caterer. I’m not mean.” He looked at her, and she shot a look right back. “I’m not. Anyways, here’s the details.”

“Uh huh.” Taking the card she had offered to him, he glanced up and asked, “So…who’s going to be there?”

“A lot of people.”

“What do you mean by that?”

She grinned at him, and then replied, “You’ll see.”

+++

“Oh my gosh, Paddy, I’m going to kill you.”

He tilted his head at Mina as he stood in the doorway. “Uh…weren’t you the one who invited me to this party? Killing me seems kind of counterproductive.”

“Ugh, I hate you so much.” He lifted up the pans of food that he’d brought with him and she sighed. “What did you stress yourself out making this time, love?”

“Pumpkin bars, apple tarts, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies—plus gluten free versions, too.” Mina helped him take the snacks in and guided him over to a table. Several of the party guests were already there. “Oh, by the way, Terra and the others are over there. _Go hang out with them, you potato, or I will make you._ You spend too much time tucked away in that bakery of yours.”

“There’s only so much time I’m going to be able to spend with my family, Mina.” He pointed out, but she began shoving him towards Terra, Gimgar, Torlin, and Nagar. At the moment, Nagar was showing off how strong he was by holding Gimgar on one bicep and balancing Torlin on the other. For a dim moment, Paddy couldn’t help but wonder how the pair could _possibly_ be okay with that. Personally, he preferred to have his feet on the ground where they belonged.

“Hey, guys! What’s up?” He asked, striding over. Terra paused in the middle of her story, eyes brightening as soon as she saw him.

“Paddy!” She ran over and hugged him, then started the story over again while Gimgar flirted with Torlin over Nagar’s horns.

+++

The party was in full swing when he saw someone walking in.

At first, Paddy expected it to be Gwing. The half-elf and her wife Jade were usually around. Sure, their appearances had been a little more sporadic since they’d had Tylan, but he was a little older now. They could get a babysitter, if Jade could get Gwing away from Tylan for longer than about ten minutes. (Not that Paddy could blame the ladies, their son was adorable).

When he turned, however, he saw someone else walking with Hashaan. The black dragonborn was making motions with her hands towards the young man, although Paddy didn’t understand any of them. She seemed to be making her way around the party, introducing her friend to everyone. After a moment, the young man seemed to feel Paddy staring at him and turned.

And _hoo boy_ , Paddy usually didn’t immediately fall head over heels for someone’s appearance but _this_ was one of the situations where he _did_. And _wow_ , he liked how this boy looked. Icy blue eyes, tanned skin, and he was wearing a mask and hood but somehow made it look hot and unique without looking more like a serial killer. He had the same vibes as an assassin.

In short, the boy was hot like fire.

As Hashaan was about to reach their group, though, and introduce this intriguing individual to them all, something happened. Something that would change Paddy’s life forever. And unfortunately…it wouldn’t be for the better.

His phone rang in his pocket, and he pulled it out to answer it. “Hello?” For a few seconds, the words the other person was saying didn’t quite process. When the call ended, he looked to the others. “I’m really sorry. I have to go. Uh—I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Turning, he bolted from the house and into the night, glancing up at where smoke rose out from the massive skyscrapers in the city. _Come on, come on,_ he sucked in a few breaths, willing himself to run faster. He’d run the four hundred and eight hundred in track, he knew his body could handle it. _Please, Paddy, you have to get there._

When he arrived, flames were pouring out of the windows of several stories of the building. _No. No, no, no—_ He ran towards the building, only for a young woman, one of the firefighters, to grab his arm. He thought he vaguely recognised her, but there was soot and ash all over her clothes and face and all he could see were her eyes, a dark brown he swore he knew. “Sir, you can’t go in there. It’s not safe.”

Yanking away, he turned to glance at the building. “That’s my family’s building. I have to see if they’re safe.” Before she could stop him, he pushed by. She yelled a warning, but he didn’t hear it. He couldn’t.

As he sprinted up to their building, Paddy felt a rush of heat wash over him. There was a pulse through the air, almost like the very fabric of the universe was ripping and tearing. Glass shattered around him.

Then he was being thrown through the air, and his head cracked against a building, and darkness swirled around him as he heard footsteps running up. Someone shook his shoulder, and he groaned once. Beyond the person beside him, he could see people frantically running into the flames, and his last thought as the person scooped him up was _I hope the others are okay._

Then everything faded into darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, by the way, did I forget to mention that this isn’t just a romance fic? Little side thing, haven’t mentioned it yet, but…this is connected to “High Hopes Low Parenting Skills” just a little bit. I wanted to have a bit of fun. (And a bit of angstiness because I feel bad for what I did to Paddy but things’ll be fine…ish. No, no they won’t, at least for him.)  
> Anyways, see you in the next fic!


End file.
